How to store lemons at home correctly, how to keep them cut and whole for a long time, preparations for the winter

How else can you store lemons

There are several other ways to store lemons that are not as common but are no less effective than the popular ones:

• storing lemons in the sand in a cellar;
• storage of lemons in boxes with sawdust in the cellar. To maximize the shelf life, it is recommended to pre-wrap each fruit in wax paper;
• you can store lemons in sealed bottles. To do this, lemons are tightly placed in clean sterile jars, a piece of a lighted candle is placed there and immediately rolled up. Fire will burn oxygen and lemons will be stored for a very long time;
• store lemons in a jar of water. The fruits must be completely covered with water and placed in the refrigerator. It is necessary to change the water daily.

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How to keep the sliced ​​food and how long will it stay fresh?

Unfortunately, you won't be able to store sliced ​​lemon for a long time indoors, but there are tricks to slow down the drying process. So how do you properly store sliced ​​lemon in the refrigerator to preserve its beneficial qualities? Let's consider in detail:

1. Apply a thin layer of egg white to the lemon slice.
2. Place the slice of lemon on the surface with apple cider vinegar or fresh honey.
3. Place the salt and bay leaf next to the sliced ​​lemon.
4. Natural preservatives in the form of sugar will keep the lemon fresh for 4-6 months.
5. Remember that storing sliced ​​lemon in sugar will lose vitamin C.
6. To preserve, place the sliced ​​lemon on a plate, cut side down and cover with a glass on top. Cover everything with cling film to keep air out.

Ways to store sliced ​​lemon in the refrigerator:

1. Purchase a special lemongrass from the store that will keep the sliced ​​lemon fresh in the refrigerator for about a week.
2. Place the lemon, cut side down, on a saucer sprinkled with salt or sugar, then store in a cool, dark place.

We offer you to watch a video about the nuances of storing lemon at home:

Selecting and preparing citrus fruits

Low temperatures affect most fruits and vegetables negatively, changing their composition, but this cannot be said about lemon. He not only preserves all the properties, but also multiplies them. Thanks for this is a dense peel that retains the pulp.

To get the maximum amount of vitamins and flavor, it is important to choose the right citrus fruits. Only fresh, without dents, cracks and spots on the peel, are suitable

It should be dense, elastic, uniform yellow in color.

If the skin is soft and wrinkled, then the lemon is old, it makes no sense to freeze it.

Only ripe fruits are suitable for normal storage in the refrigerator, but unripe fruits can be taken for freezing, then they will last longer. Avoid overripe specimens. It is easy to distinguish them: press on the fruit, if it is soft, then choose another, more elastic one. An unripe lemon cannot be distinguished from a ripe one by color, only shine - an unripe lemon has a matte skin, over time it acquires shine.

Selected lemons should be rinsed under running warm water, wiping with a stiff brush. This is to get rid of the wax that sellers rub all the fruits with in order to make them look more attractive to the buyer. To get rid of the wax completely, it is recommended (before washing) to spray the lemons from a spray bottle with a mixture of vinegar and citric acid.

Is it good to freeze lemons?
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Storage conditions

For long-term storage of fruits, you need to create optimal conditions:

1. Maintain the ideal temperature during storage on the balcony, in the pantry, in the cellar.
2. Provide ventilation by placing in containers with holes.
3. Do not use iron containers for storage. As the temperature rises, the apples will begin to emit ethylene, which negatively affects their appearance and taste.

The shelf life of ripe apples depends entirely on the variety. The ideal temperature is +4 degrees, but not lower than -1. Humidity - 85%. With the correct content, the fruit will lie in the refrigerator for a long time, up to 3-4 months.

Storing lemons in the freezer

It is not difficult to store whole frozen citrus fruits, but then it is extremely inconvenient to use such fruits. After defrosting, the fruit becomes soft, it is difficult to cut them and even use the zest. Therefore, lemons prepared in other ways are stored in the freezer:

• cut into slices and put each separately;
• squeeze out the juice;
• remove and freeze the zest.

The fruits are cut circles or slices 5-6 mm thick and carefully laid out in a volumetric flat container so that the pieces do not touch. The container is placed in a compartment for quick freezing. The hardened slices are put in a bag with a zip-fastener or in a container after a day. Lemons can be stored in this way for up to 6 months.

The juice is squeezed out in any way, poured into a container with molds and frozen. The juice in the form of ice cubes is then folded into a bag and removed as needed for culinary purposes. The zest is grated, placed in small portions in small bags and sent to the freezer. Frozen products can be stored from 6 months to a year.

Whole, sliced, with and without additives: the best "recipes" for long-term storage of lemons at home

Like any product, lemons require certain conditions. What exactly affects their shelf life?

• Temperature. Lemons lie well at 5-8 ° above 0. At lower values, they quickly become soft. And at higher ones, they dry out and darken.
• Air humidity. The fruits remain juicy for a long time at a humidity of 75-85%.
• Lighting. In the light, the product loses vitamin C and becomes covered with dark spots, therefore lemons are stored only in a dark place.

If the lemon has been in the freezer, use it until it thaws completely. Thawed citrus has a soft texture, does not cut well and flows.

In addition, the length of the shelf life largely determines the original quality of the product. Which lemon will stay fresh for a long time? Bright yellow, shiny, firm, without dark spots on the skin. If the fruit is dark or, conversely, greenish in color, with molds on the surface, it will not lie for a long time.

• Prepare your fruit. Select only healthy, tight ones. They have a bright, glossy skin.
• Wash. Let them dry.
• Put in a container. Cover and place in refrigerator.

Still save, separate each fruit in the paper. This saves moisture.

• Do you need them to lie down longer, about 2 - x months? The vegetable oil with which you lubricate them will help. The moisture will not evaporate and therefore the food will not spoil for a long time.
• The cans of water help the fruit stay intact for 2 to 3 weeks. Fill with cold water. Cover with lids, put in the refrigerator. Change the water once a day, and rinse the lemons.

How to choose a fruit

Fruit growers know exactly how to store fruit. But ordinary housewives do not always have such information, but they often try to stock up on lemons for the winter, since during this period of time the prices for the product rise sharply.

The first step towards long-term and successful storage of lemons is choosing the right fruit in the store. There is an opinion that a product with a rough and bumpy skin is of poor quality and should not be bought, it is better to choose an instance with a smooth surface. In fact, this is not the case, such a texture of the peel depends on the variety and does not affect other properties of the fruit in any way.

When choosing citrus fruits, you should give preference to dense fruits, if the fruit is soft, then it is either overripe or frozen and is no longer suitable for storage. Fruits of a bright saturated yellow color are at the peak of their ripeness, they should be taken if storage is not planned for more than 2-3 days, otherwise the lemons will deteriorate. For long storage, you need to choose dense fruits with a slightly greenish tint.

If the fruit is soft and darkening and brown spots are visible on its surface, such specimens should not be bought at all. A similar appearance characterizes fruits that spoil from the inside.

How to properly store lemon zest

It can be frozen, dried, or canned with sugar. In any case, the fruits are first washed and dried well. For freezing, the zest is obtained by rubbing the peel on a grater. Fresh shavings are put into bags or containers. Immediately sent to the freezer. Used within 1 year.

To dry the zest, it is removed from the lemons with a sharp knife. Lay out in a warm room in a thin layer on paper or a plate. Wait 3-5 days until the product is completely dry. Then the zest is ground into powder, put into clean dry jars, and the containers are closed with lids. Store in a cool place for up to 2 years.

Candied zest is prepared from grated base and sugar in a ratio of 1 to 2. Mix the ingredients well and put the mass in small jars. Kept under a lid in the main compartment of the refrigerator. The workpiece is stored for up to 6 months.

How to harvest correctly

Even the most resistant apples can quickly lose their presentation if you ignore the timing and rules of collection.

Main conditions:

1. Gently pluck from the branches, having previously prepared the container. Fruits that fall to the ground crack and can become infected with bacteria.
2. Better to pick by hand, starting from the bottom of the tree and gradually working upward.
3. Collect with gloves to avoid damage to the upper skin.
4. Lay fruits in containers carefully, only with stalks, one to one.

Sorting

The removed healthy fruits are kept cool for 48-72 hours to cool down. After this time, some fruits will deteriorate, they are harvested, used for winter harvesting. Before the winter laying, fruits of different sizes and varieties should not have even the slightest signs of rot.

Storing lemons

The main condition for preserving lemons in a "presentable" form is a low temperature. Outside the refrigerator, cellar or basement, the shelf life is significantly reduced. Undamaged fresh fruit can be safely stored in a dry place for a maximum of two weeks. If a layer of vegetable oil is applied to the peel of the fruit, its shelf life will increase.

Do not store lemons in plastic bags at room temperature. In addition, the fruit should not be exposed to sunlight.If the lemon peel begins to dry out, it should be placed in boiling water for 1-2 minutes and used as soon as possible.

Keeping fruit in a jar is also very popular among lovers of fresh lemons. You can use one of the following methods.

1. The jar must be sterilized, dried, filled with thoroughly washed and well-dried lemons. The container must be sealed to prevent moisture ingress and placed in a dark, cool place.
2. In a sterilized jar, you need to put lemons and a candle stub. After that, the container must be carefully closed with a lid and placed in a cool, dark place.
3. Peeled lemons should be put in a glass jar, which must be sterilized in a water bath, periodically adding peeled fruits until the container is full. A jar with a tightly rolled lid should be stored in a basement or cellar.

When harvesting a large number of fruits for the winter, the best way is to store them in sand, which, if necessary, absorbs excess moisture and prevents the fruits from drying out. Also, lemons can be wrapped in paper, and in this case they can be stored in sawdust at a temperature of 6-8 ℃.

If you drink tea with lemon quite rarely, then even a cut fruit placed in the refrigerator will simply deteriorate over time. Drying ripe fruits can be a good option in this situation. The sequence of actions is as follows: cut the lemon into thin slices, put them on a paper towel and leave for 3-5 days, periodically turning until tender.

You can also use the oven to shorten the drying time. Lemon slices laid out on a wire rack must be dried at a temperature of 50-60 ℃ for 5-6 hours. Dried lemon can be stored in a glass container or paper bag in a cool, dry and dark place.

Cold storage

The optimum temperature for storing fresh lemons is around 6-7 ℃. At a lower temperature, the fruits become soft, and at a higher temperature, they begin to rot.

It is recommended to store small amounts of lemons in a tightly closed container. So that the fruits do not lose their properties for a long time, they can be put in a jar filled with water. The liquid, which should completely cover the fruits, must be changed daily, while washing the lemons under running running warm water.

When storing a large number of lemons, they should be wrapped in parchment or tissue paper: the fruits will not dry out, and the rot formed on one of them will not be transmitted to neighboring fruits.

How to store sliced ​​lemon

It is recommended to store the lemon cut or peeled from the zest in the refrigerator in a glass jar, and to limit the flow of air, it is advisable to fill the container to the brim. If this condition cannot be met, then it is recommended to use the usual preservatives: salt (if the product will be used to prepare fish or meat dishes), honey or sugar.

For long-term storage, the peeled lemon can also be placed in the freezer.

Storing lemon zest

Zest is a healthy and aromatic component of many culinary dishes

When preparing the peel, it is important to remember that you can only use the yellow part of the peel, since the white layer gives an unpleasant bitterness.

When preparing a semi-finished product for drying, it is better to use a vegetable cutter. After cutting a sufficient number of strips, the zest is laid out on paper, covered with paper or gauze on top and exposed to the sun in a ventilated room or on the street. Store dry zest in a glass container.

Alternatively, the lemon zest can be candied. They act as follows:

• lemons are washed with a brush in warm water;
• the upper part of the peel is rubbed on a not very coarse grater;
• the resulting zest is placed in a jar and covered with sugar in the ratio of two parts of sugar to one part of the zest.

When preparing the peel, it is important to remember that you need to use only the yellow part of the peel - it does not taste bitter

Knowing how to store lemon will allow you to enrich your diet with not only delicious, but also a very healthy natural product at any time of the year.

How to store in an apartment

The best option is wooden containers or racks.

Other places:

• insulated balcony;
• pantry;
• windowsill.

The apartment is not the best place for long-term storage of fruits. The maximum shelf life of fruits under such conditions is 8-12 weeks.

In the pantry

When storing in a closet, it is better:

• process each apple with melted wax, glycerin;
• pack in paper or film;
• put in a container made of wood.

In a glazed balcony

If the balcony is insulated, then the fruits are well stored in thermoboxes:

1. Take 2 cardboard boxes.
2. Lay insulation between them.
3. Sheathe the outside with Styrofoam.
4. Lay the wrapped apples in a layer in paper, newspaper.
5. Cover the top with warm clothes.

In fridge

Apples:

• packed in polyethylene bags, previously wrapped in paper;
• placed in small cardboard boxes;
• put in a special compartment of the refrigerator.

You can freeze fruits in bags.

Slices

The sliced ​​apples are kept in the freezer for a maximum of 48 hours. To extend the period, you can put it in bags or small containers made of food-grade plastic.

Puree

Apples, twisted and harvested for the winter in sterilized jars, are stored until spring. Fruit pureed without cooking should be eaten immediately.

How to keep lemons indoors

Storing lemons indoors is possible no longer than two weeks, since the fruits quickly lose moisture (wrinkle) and dry out, and some become moldy.

There are several ways to store lemons for longer:

• Refined oil. If you apply refined vegetable oil to the zest, lemons will last for three weeks.
• Wax. We wash and dry the fruits. Melt the wax and dip the lemons in it. We wait for the wax shell to harden and place it in a dry place. The wax retains moisture, preserves the juiciness of the product and protects against the attacks of pathogenic microbes.
• Vacuum. We put the fruits in large sterile jars, put a lighted candle stub on top and roll them up. The fire will destroy oxygen, and the fruits will last for a long time.

To avoid the appearance of mold and rot, we put the lemons in a dry place where the sun's rays do not penetrate. The main thing is not to store them in plastic bags: in them, the fruits become moldy in a matter of days.

How to store a whole pomegranate

After buying ripe fruits, you should think about their further storage. Where to store pomegranates so that they do not deteriorate? The correct choice of method will preserve most of the useful properties. Keep pomegranates at room temperature in the refrigerator or freezer.

Room conditions

To keep the pomegranate at home, the following conditions are met:

• room temperature + 18 ... + 24 ° C;
• humidity level 60%;
• a dark place where direct sunlight does not fall;
• paper craft bag, it is not recommended to store fruits in plastic;
• shelf life: no more than 7 days.

Fridge

What is the best way to keep a pomegranate at home? A refrigerator is the best option.

Temperature conditions affect shelf life:

• at a temperature of + 4 ... + 6 ° C, pomegranate is suitable for consumption for several months;
• at a temperature of about + 1 ° C, the period increases to 9 months;

They do not store fruits in plastic bags, use paper ones - the fruits will not dry in them.

A compartment for storing fruits and vegetables is best in the refrigerator, since temperature drops at this level are minimal.

Balcony or cellar

In the cold season, the fruits are placed in a cellar or on a glazed balcony.

For both options, the storage rates are the same:

• temperature about + 5 ° C;
• each fruit is individually wrapped in paper;
• wrapped copies are laid out in one layer on the bottom of a cardboard box with holes for ventilation or a wooden box;
• to avoid direct sunlight, cover the pomegranates with a sheet of cardboard or loose fabric;
• shelf life: about five months.

To reduce the evaporation of moisture from the fruit, the tail of the fruit is poured with clay mixed with water, after which the mixture is allowed to dry on the top and the berry is placed in a dark and cool place.

It is interesting:

Freezer

For longer storage, deep freezing is used, however, in the freezer after a while, the fruit loses some of its beneficial properties. Pomegranates can be frozen whole or as seeds. In both cases, the shelf life reaches one year.

Freezing whole fruit

To freeze the whole fruit, observe the following rules:

• temperature –18 ° C;
• choose fresh, dense fruits without signs of mold and rotting;
• fruits are placed in plastic containers and tightly covered with lids;
• place containers with the product in the freezer, observing the commercial proximity (not placed near meat and fish products).

Freezing grains

Freezing rules:

• temperature –18 ° C;
• choose fresh, dense fruits without signs of mold and rotting;
• do not wash the pomegranate kernels before freezing;
• lay out the kernels in portioned packages in order to defrost not the whole mass, but the required amount;
• place the container with the product in the freezer, observing the commodity neighborhood;
• avoid re-freezing the product.

Cook jam

The most favorite preparation for the winter for my children (and for me) is jam. To make lemon jam you need:

• 1 kg of lemons;
• 0.5 liters of clean water;
• 1.5 kg of sugar.

1. 1. Cut the carefully washed lemons together with the zest into small pieces.
   2. Take a saucepan or bowl and place lemons, sugar and water in it.

For lemon jam, it's best to use a thick-bottomed stainless steel pot or bowl.

This will help protect the lemon jam from burning as much as possible.

1. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring gently with a wooden spoon.
2. Remove the pan from heat and let the jam rest for half an hour.
3. Return the jam to the fire and cook after boiling for 5 minutes.
4. Alternate boiling and resting 3-5 more times.
5. Pour the jam into the jars and store in a dark place.

Long-term storage methods for whole lemons

If you do not provide even those fruits that have not yet been cut, the appropriate storage conditions, then they quickly lose all their original qualities: their peel dries up and becomes very tough; the pulp, from which the liquid component erodes, loses its juiciness, becoming unsuitable both for consumption in its pure form and for preparing drinks and adding to various dishes as an additional flavoring component.

It is quite possible to avoid all of the above situations if you organize the right conditions for fruits that have just been purchased in a store or on the market for their long-term storage.

In sand

Sand and a plastic or wooden container with a dead bottom will help preserve the freshness and all the beneficial properties of a large number of lemons at once. To organize the storage of lemons in this way, you must perform the following steps:

• The sand that will be used for storing fruit is pre-sieved, washed with water and dried. To get rid of harmful microorganisms in the composition of the sand, you can subject it to additional processing - warm it up in the oven.
• The prepared sand is poured onto the bottom of the container with a layer of about 3 cm.
• Each citrus, before storing it, is washed, carefully wiped and wrapped in parchment paper.
• The wrapped fruits are stacked on a layer of sand so that they do not come into contact with each other.
• The citrus fruits placed in the container are covered with sand so that it completely covers them and forms a layer 3-4 cm thick above the fruit.
• If the depth of the container allows, then one or more layers of fruit can be placed in it, also covering them with a layer of sand.
• The container with the citruses placed in it is closed with a lid and stored in a dark, cool room.

In fridge

If you plan to use lemon in the very near future, then it is quite possible to organize its proper storage in the refrigerator. To keep citruses fresh, tasty and aromatic for longer, when stored in the appropriate compartment of your home refrigerator, each of them is wrapped in tracing paper or parchment.

Whether in wax or wax paper

To organize long-term storage of lemons, paper soaked in wax is often used, or the wax itself, which will need to be purchased in advance. For the practical implementation of such a storage method, which, although it is associated with certain hassles and financial costs, is very effective, proceed as follows:

• If using wax paper, then wrap each fruit individually with it, and then place the already wrapped citrus fruits in a suitable container.
• If wax is used for storage, then it will need to be brought to a liquid state in a water bath, and then apply with a brush to the peel of each lemon, creating a protective layer on its surface. The fruit covered with a protective layer is placed in a container of a suitable size.
• The filled container is placed in a dark place with a low temperature. In order for lemons to be stored in the container used longer without losing their original qualities, they must be regularly ventilated by opening the container lid.

In a jar without oxygen

To keep lemons harvested for the winter as long as possible, you can use this method:

• Fruits are placed in a glass jar so that they occupy no more than half of its volume.
• A candle stub is placed on the fruit placed in a jar and set on fire.
• The jar is closed as tightly as possible with a lid.

When the candle flame burns out all the oxygen in the inside of the jar, which is the cause of the development of oxidative processes on the surface of the lemons and their further deterioration, it will go out by itself.

In a jar of water

Storage in water is another effective way to preserve the original freshness of lemons for a long time. The practical implementation of this method looks like this:

• The fruits to be stored are pre-washed.
• Prepare a storage container - a glass jar, it should also be washed well before use.
• Fruits are placed in a jar, filled with water, the container is closed with a lid.

The water in the jar, so that the lemons stay fresh in it longer and do not spoil, must be changed every 2-3 days, and the fruits themselves, when performing such a replacement, should be thoroughly washed.

How can you extend the shelf life

The prerequisite for long-term storage of the product is the selection of healthy fruits. To keep citruses fresh for a long time, they are subjected to special processing.

A popular way to keep lemons fresh longer is to wax the peel.

Cover the entire surface with wax melted in a water bath. Allow to freeze. Then each fruit is wrapped in parchment paper, folded into a container and stored in a cool, dark place. In this form, lemons will stay fresh for up to one year.

Another option for processing citrus is to dip it in vegetable oil. Such fruits will remain fresh for six months without a refrigerator.

Good:

• ripe lemons are bright yellow;
• each is wrapped in wax paper;
• canned fruits are placed on the pantry shelf;
• candied and salted lemons are on the refrigerator door.

Badly:

• a glossy shine is noticeable on the peel of the fruit - a sign of processing with a chemical preservative;
• lemons lie near the heating radiator;
• fruit slices are placed in a plastic container without sugar;
• the product is stored in a box on the balcony without filling and protection from light.

Citrus fruits contain a lot of essential oils, and in terms of vitamin C content, they can compete with sauerkraut. Daily consumption of a small amount strengthens the immune system in winter. Lemon juice has a beneficial effect on the skin when used regularly as a tonic. It is convenient to always have lemons on hand in case of emergency removal of a stain from your favorite blouse.

Home conditions allow you to store even large quantities of fresh citrus fruits for a long time. The main thing is to properly process them before storage and not to violate temperature conditions.

Shelf life of lemon water

The daily use of such a drink is of great benefit to the body. Citrus contains vitamins and minerals that have a positive effect on the state of the digestive, cardiovascular, immune and nervous systems. Water with lemon helps to lose weight, normalizes metabolism, improves psycho-emotional state, cleanses the liver, slows down the aging process.

For a single dose, it is enough to squeeze the juice from half of the fruit into a glass of clean warm water (temperature within 25-35 degrees). For 1 time, it is not advised to consume more than 0.2 ml of the drink, especially for people with gastrointestinal disorders. Usually it is drunk in the morning on an empty stomach.

During storage, water with lemon loses its beneficial properties, so it is prepared immediately before use.

How much lemon juice is stored

The preparation of a drink for the winter is carried out in the following ways:

• the washed jars and lids are sterilized, the juice squeezed from lemon is poured into them to the brim and rolled up. Transfer containers to cold. When pouring the juice, you can add a little almond or olive oil. If it will be used for cooking, then sunflower will do;
• Lemon juice is poured into food containers, bags, or ice cube trays and left in the freezer. Used for cocktails.

The steps to get the drink must be done quickly, because the components of the lemon are very volatile. Also, when squeezing out juice, it is recommended to use special devices that exclude contact of citrus with metal, since it contributes to the destruction of nutrients.

Tips & Tricks

Apples will last until spring, they will not lose their useful and taste properties, if they are properly prepared, they are periodically revised.

> Experts advise:

Treat apples with paraffin, beeswax, glycerin with salicylic acid to increase keeping quality before laying.
Do not expose to sudden temperature fluctuations. Long-term exposure to warm and cold conditions will reduce shelf life.
Do not keep fruit in cellars, apartments next to vegetables. The former will quickly deteriorate and release ethylene. In the latter, the maturation process is accelerated.
You need to pick apples before the first frost. Otherwise, the fruits seized by frost will quickly deteriorate.
Lay in rows, neatly

Each grade in a separate container.
It is important to store with a stem and a tail in order to avoid the development of fungus.
Sort fruits by varieties, sizes. Small apples ripen faster and emit less ethylene, large apples are perishable.
Do not store in damp conditions where the air humidity is above 80%.
When kept in refrigerators, pack packages, evacuate air, punch holes for better gas exchange.

Inspect the crop in winter periodically, separating rotten apples. Whole and healthy will last longer if all of the other conditions above are met.

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